The next time some expert tells you that the most important thing to do for your health is to consume large amounts of fruits and vegetables, regardless of whether they are organic or not, you may want to educate this person about the latest scientific research and government data. As I wrote about the other […]

Controversial FoodsEnvironmentFoodHealthPesticidesVegetables

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The next time some expert tells you that the most important thing to do for your health is to consume large amounts of fruits and vegetables, regardless of whether they are organic or not, you may want to educate this person about the latest scientific research and government data.

As I wrote about the other day, a study out of Harvard found that women undergoing infertility treatment in the U.S. — and who were also consuming fruits and vegetables with high amounts of pesticide residue — were associated with a lower chance of pregnancy and a higher risk of pregnancy loss.

Men are equally as impacted by the harmful effects of pesticides. Read more »

Whenever I think about a lot of the food that I ate growing up, it isn’t overly pleasant. It was the standard American diet with all of the processed, fast food that most of the country still consumes today. Fortunately, my childhood took place before the emergence of GMOs (mid-90s) and growth hormone milk (late […]

Controversial FoodsGetting Started with OrganicPesticides

LivingMaxwell.com

Whenever I think about a lot of the food that I ate growing up, it isn’t overly pleasant. It was the standard American diet with all of the processed, fast food that most of the country still consumes today.

Fortunately, my childhood took place before the emergence of GMOs (mid-90s) and growth hormone milk (late 80s), so I escaped some of the really bad things when my body was in its crucial stage of development.

One food that I fondly remember eating, and loving, at family dinners was potatoes. And it wasn’t just the insides of the potatoes. I particularly loved eating the skins. Yet, little did I or my parents know just how toxic they were.

When many people think of the most important foods to be eating organic, potatoes do not immediately come to mind as quickly as apples, grapes, or spinach do. But they should and here’s why. Read more »

There is an incredibly controversial ingredient in the organic industry called carrageenan. If you’re not familiar with it, carrageenan is a common food additive extracted from red seaweed that is often used as a thickening agent (chocolate milk, soy milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream), a substitute for fat, and a stabilizer for beverages that separate […]

Controversial Foods

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There is an incredibly controversial ingredient in the organic industry called carrageenan.

If you’re not familiar with it, carrageenan is a common food additive extracted from red seaweed that is often used as a thickening agent (chocolate milk, soy milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream), a substitute for fat, and a stabilizer for beverages that separate and must be stirred or shaken (the carrageenan makes stirring or shaking no longer necessary). It can also be found in deli meats and prepared poultry items.

Carrageenan adds no nutritional value or flavor to foods or beverages but carries very, very serious health risks. What are they?

Yesterday, I responded to a blog post that the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute put up on its site called “Are Organic Foods Better for You?“, and I heard back from them this morning. Dana-Farber’s post (which has since been modified – see picture of the original post below) said that “there is no scientific evidence that […]

Dana-Farber’s post (which has since been modified – see picture of the original post below) said that “there is no scientific evidence that eating organic foods increases health benefits”.

Not only is this a false statement, but it insinuated that eating conventionally-grown, pesticide-laden foods is just the same as eating organic food. Furthermore, it goes against what the President’s Cancer Panel (PDF File) says – that we should eat foods that have been grown without the use of pesticides.

I lashed out at Dana-Farber and called the post “factually incorrect and morally reprehensible.”

A few hours ago, I got an email from Michael Buller, the Director of Creative & Editorial Services at Dana-Farber, who said the following: Read more »

Several months I wrote a story about Bisphenol-A (BPA) in organic food cans. The post continues to get a lot of views because people are becoming increasingly aware and concerned about the packaging that their food comes in, even in organic food products. With news coming out of Maine this morning, parents now need to […]

Controversial FoodsEnvironmentFood SafetyKidsPackaging/Plastics

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Several months I wrote a story about Bisphenol-A (BPA) in organic food cans.

The post continues to get a lot of views because people are becoming increasingly aware and concerned about the packaging that their food comes in, even in organic food products.

With news coming out of Maine this morning, parents now need to take extra precaution about what they feed their young kids. Why?

Organic Products that Contain Unapproved Additives are the Source of Controversy

When I was at the Expo West trade show recently, I came across Horizon Organic Milk with DHA Omega-3 and was impressed at first glance. I thought to myself that this looks like a pretty interesting dairy product. Yet several days after returning back to NYC and just as I was about to write a […]

Controversial FoodsExpo WestKidsMilk

LivingMaxwell.com

When I was at the Expo West trade show recently, I came across Horizon Organic Milk with DHA Omega-3 and was impressed at first glance. I thought to myself that this looks like a pretty interesting dairy product.

Yet several days after returning back to NYC and just as I was about to write a post about this organic milk, I received an email from The Cornucopia Institute, a watchdog for the organic industry.

The Cornucopia Institute has condemned the USDA for allowing products containing unapproved synthetic additives (DHA Omega-3, as one of them) to be labeled “organic” for an indefinite grace period.